SB Nation - Gary Payton

BREAKING NEWS: The Thunder Acquire Matt Harpring and Eric Maynor from the Jazz for Free

Zorgon — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 01:19:18 -0000

That's right! He works for us now!

Credit to Mleetch352 for breaking this news to me.

All I can say is....HELLS YEAH!

The Thunder just basically robbed the Jazz blind by taking a expiring contract and a promising backup Point guard in Eric Maynor. What did we lose? Some fool. And by that, I really do mean some fool.

We lost the rights to Peter Fehse, a 2nd round draft pickfrom Germany. The pick was made in 2002, back when Gary Payton was still wearing Green. So really, it's not loss at all.

Granted, we did have to waive Mike Wilks and Shaun Livingston, but that's no biggie. It must really suck for the both of them to be told they're off the team right before this game starts, but hey, that's the business. Eric Maynor will compliment Ollie and Westbrook well. Wilks was just an emergency backup, and Livingston really wasn't playing like he used to. Kind of like a Westbrook-lite. Still, I wish only the best of luck for Livingston and Wilks. Both guys who played solid in pinches for this team.

Now, what can Maynor and Harpring contribute? Well, Maynor is obviously the man who's going to take over the backup point guard spot. It'll take him some time to get adjusted to the team, so Ollie might start in front of him at first, but he'll get that spot eventually. Will he ever take over for Westbrook? Well, that's a question that only time can answer.

Matt Harpring will most likely never be used. He's out for the season, and his contract expires at the end of it. I doubt we'll resign him unless we need a Small Forward to use in pinches. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see some Matt Harpring in action, but it's just not going to happen.

Eric Maynor's Yahoo Profile

Matt Harpring's Yahoo! Profile

I thought trades like this happened only in Sim Leagues, but I guess they happen in real life, too. I'm excited! Now, say it with me....THANK YOU SAM PRESTI!

Poll

Do you like this trade?

Brian Scalabrine Is Whatever You Want Him To Be

Jeff Clark — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:19:55 -0000

Brian Scalabrine has been loved and hated; valued and vilified; counted on and counted out.

He was brought in to be a veteran role playing leader. He became a punchline and a scapegoat. He was named on lists of "worst contracts." At one point fans started to give him the old Bronx cheer (cheering in jest).

Then somewhere along the line he became useful again. The cheers became genuine. People actually started counting on him. Now he's back to being a veteran role playing leader. His contract is actually an asset now because it is expiring this year.

The funny thing is, I don't think Brian Scalabrine has changed all that much. He's been poorly fit into an ever changing landscape during his tenure as a Celtic.

In the early years the starting lineup consisted of Paul Pierce, Ricky Davis, Marcus Banks, Raef LaFrentz, and Mark Blount. That lineup plus Gary Payton and Antoine Walker won 45 games and made the playoffs the year before Scal arrived. But Pierce had just pulled his jersey waving, head wrapped in bandages routine and the team was in serious need of some maturity. Scal was a key role player on some successful Nets teams. He was never supposed to be a go to guy, but he was supposed to fill in and be that steady hand off the bench.

Unfortunately that didn't work out. Whatever maturity he brought to the locker room was far outweighed by the strong personalities on that team. The squad quickly imploded and was rightly torn apart by Ainge as he shifted focus to a youth movement. On a team of early-twentysomethings, Scalabrine was once again a bad fit.

I'm not trying to make excuses for Scal, mind you. There were times when he played like he was trying to force it. Like he was trying to justify his contract. The losing and the fan reaction had to weigh on him and I think his play suffered from it. But every single person that's been around the team will tell you what a class guy he is. He never took it out on anyone, he just did his job.

So when the team got good again, he was able to step in and provide some valuable backup minutes at both of the forward positions. He even started for a few games in KG's absence 2 years ago (which allowed Doc to maintain most of his rotations). When the team added PJ Brown, Scal didn't complain when he was put on the inactive list. In fact, he delivered one of the funniest Finals post game interviews I can remember (pushing Kobe back a few minutes).

He was just getting rolling last year when multiple concussions derailed his season. It is a shame too, because a fully healthy Scal could have played the role of a poor man's Posey. In fact, I think that is one of the elements that Ainge was counting on last summer (along with Tony Allen's progression) that didn't play out as he had hoped.

So where does that leave us today? That depends. What do you want from Brian Scalabrine?

Do you want him to be a valuable backup forward? He can backup Pierce and also give us added depth at power forward. Do you want him to step aside and give more time to Bill Walker? Scal will happily tutor the young lad and wave a towel on the bench. Do you want to use his expiring contract to pick up a player at the trade deadline? Pair him with Tony Allen and you can swipe a $7M player away from a team hemorrhaging money (call it the Redhead Bailout Plan). Want him to play some point guard? Well, everyone has their limits.

I think Scal will help this team in a number of ways this year. He's also the kind of guy I'd like to see get into coaching when his career is over (like Sam Cassell). Here's hoping that he gets one more shot at that podium after the Finals.

1 Ring + 19 Straight + More Rings Coming- What Could Have Been in The Town

Atma Brother ONE — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 19:06:44 -0000

As the Boston Celtics and the Boston Three Party ride into the venue formerly known as the Roaracle tonight, I can't help but ponder- What could have been in the town.

What am I talking about? Kevin Garnett to the Warriors of course.

We Believe 2.0 would've been fresh!

Jump like KG swatting a soft Patrick O'Bryant layup in Celtics' practice last week!

A LINK Back:

KG Loves India?! We Love KG!!: The GSoM Crew would've happily taken KG out to one of the finest Indian restaurants the Bay has to offer (Kabab & Curry's, Pakwan, Shalimar, Udupi Palace, and Saravana Bhavan) if he was on the Dubs! It's on us man.
The Bloggers' Bidding War for Kevin Garnett: Bring KG to the Bay!: KG for Al Harrington, Adonal Foyle, and Patrick O'Bryant? Naw we would have been giving up too much. Just kidding, but we would have been dealing with Kevin McHale you know.
Help Kevin Garnett Find the Warriors: It's funny how little credit we all gave Celtics' alumni and current assistant GM McHale.
Rumor: Kevin Garnett Interested in the Warriors: The interest was mutual my friend.
Rumor: Kevin Garnett Wants to Play with Baron Davis and for the Warriors: I have to admit if KG and BD were on the Warriors on '07, Robert Rowell would have probably let them go for nothing. So no loss right? It saved us from plenty of misery.
Jim Gray Says Warriors in the KG Talks: At least the Warriors were in the talks? (Warriors fans have incredibly low standards.)
Rumor: KG almost a Warrior on Draft Night: A very, very painful read and link indeed. Wildly entertaining though.
WHAT IF... Kevin Garnett joined Golden State?: Seriously, WHAT IF?
Rumor: At least 4 teams had better offers for KG: Credit T-Wolves headman McHale though. Not only is he employed as the Minny GM, but he does some "consulting" for his alma matter Celtics on the side.
Rumor: Warriors Offered Al Harrington, Andris Biedrins, Monta Ellis + #18 Pick for KG: Seems to trump the Al Jefferson package the Timberwolves got at the end of the day in my book. If you're part of Warriors Nation you have to do that deal. A below average starting forward who's a great guy and intregral piece of the We Believe run, but pouted his way out of here, an extremely limited, undersized big man who can't guard a single 4 or 5 mano y mano, Where Skipping Half a Season to Ride a Moped Happens, and what ended up being the pick for Marco "no shot selection, defense, or hoops IQ" Belinelli? You got it!
Q&A: Henry Abbott of ESPN TrueHoop:
"Much more importantly ... did the Warriors even want Brandan Wright? Agents and various NBA insiders refuse to believe that's so. There are a million theories -- he was supposed to go to Minnesota for Kevin Garnett, Milwaukee for Yi Jianlian, anywhere for anyone -- but no one talking to me seems to think this is really the guy the Warriors wanted."
Well we know Nellie didn't/ doesn't want him.
Q&A: Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress on Brandan Wright: On the J-Rich for Brandan Wright trade:
Skill-wise, there really aren't that many question marks about Wright. He has all-star potential for sure. The question about him is mentally, whether he has the heart and especially the drive to reach his potential. Not quite as bad, but similar to the question marks people had about Patrick O'Bryant. About whether or not this was a good deal for the Warriors...I personally don't. There's a lot to be said for financial flexibility, and the luxury tax, and all that jazz, but from a talent standpoint, the Warriors took a huge step backwards, which makes very little sense to me considering last year's success, and Baron Davis' age, etc.
Q&A: Jeff Clark from CelticsBlog.com | Q&A: Jim from Green Bandwagon: Most Celtics/ Boston fans come across as entitled whiners, but Jeff and Jim are beyond classy. The Celts' recent success couldn't have happened to two nicer guys. Two of the best in the blogging business have formed like Voltron to bring you CelticsBlog on SBNation.
Offseason Q&A: Tim Kawakami (San Jose Mercury) Part 3 of 4: The beauty of KG on the Dubs revisited.

This limited edition comic is going for over $21k on eBay!

What would life have been last season and this incredibly difficult one with one of these lineups I dreamed up over a year ago?

So let's say the Warriors were able to nab KG without dealing JRich to the BETcats for another project (not that this was ever even possible, but we're playing "what if's" here). We'd be looking at:

PG: Baron Davis
SG: Jason Richardson
SF: Stephen Jackson
PF: Kevin Garnett
C: Chris Webber? Haha, well let's not go there.

Bench: Kelenna Azubuike, Matt Barnes, Mickael Pietrus, Gary Payton?, and possibly a few other vets looking to win a ring without having to live in the frigid Boston

Or maybe crazy old Nellie (I mean that in a good way) would go small with:

PG: Baron Davis
SG: Kelenna Azubuike
SF: Jason Richardson
PF: Stephen Jackson
C: Kevin Garnett

I like what I see... or at least what I'm dreaming.

Keep those dreams alive my golden people. Some day it'll be all good. Chris Cohan will finally sell the team to an individual or investment syndicate that genuinely cares about winning and has pride in the product they put out nightly. Robert Rowell's unprofessionalism, lack of credibility, and poor qualifications will be replaced by a classy, brilliant front office executive. Chris Mullin will be swapped out with a GM that has actually earned their stripes instead of lucking into a job thanks to a publicity stunt, has some grasp of the NBA's salary cap, and knows what they are doing. And The Don himself Don Nelson will be racking up 3 straight rings setting up the foundation for the next great hoops dynasty as he rides of into the Maui sunset.

We Believe it will happen... some day.

Poll

Do you wish the Warriors were able to trade Al Harrington, Andris Biedrins, Monta Ellis + #18 Pick (Marco Belinelli) for Kevin Garnett?

Yes- KG to the Bay! Roracle, playoffs, trophies, and rings because We Believe!

240 votes

No- I can stomach the current losing and think this young core is championship caliber.

342 votes

582 votes | Poll has closed